Gwen sighed and shook her head. “When I turned him down, I thought I was doing the right thing, the sensible thing. But the night before he was supposed to leave us, I imagined what it would be like when Albert was gone, and all I felt was emptiness and a sense of terrible, terrible loss.”
The look on the old lady’s face was wistful now as she recounted her story.
“That’s when I knew we were meant to be together. So, I summoned the courage to tell him how I truly felt, but I was terrified! Terrified of upending my life and my plans, terrified of upsetting my family, who would surely find it mad that I’d decided to marry this strange lad and run off with him. But that’s exactly what I did—and it was the best decision I ever made.”
Carole stood speechless, amazed by this startling love story.
“Albert delayed his plans, and we got married three weeks later and set off the next day for our big adventure,” Gwen said, her eyes dancing at the memories. “We arrived in London and found a place to stay, and Albert threw himself into auditions and mingling with the right sort of people who could help him. Eventually he got some small parts in stage shows, and those led to bigger parts, and soon he was making a name for himself. He loved every minute of his time on stage, acting and singing, and I found some work in the back offices of one of the theatres where he appeared regularly.”
“That’s an amazing story, Gwen,” Carole said.
“Albert eventually moved into the business side of things and set up his own talent agency, and I joined him, running the office. We had two wonderful children, and grandchildren too eventually, and lived a happy life together. We were very lucky.”
The old lady sighed happily, her gaze distant before she spoke again. “But sometimes I can’t help thinking about how I almost missed out on all that happiness because I was too scared to take a chance on a man I’d only just met.”
Carole listened to Gwen’s words, amazed at how much they resonated with her.
“Anyway,” Gwen said, “I just want you to know how thrilling it was to see you in my old wedding dress today, dear. It feels like only yesterday that I put it on and married my Albert, and it made me very happy to see my dress and Albert’s suit being shown off by such a lovely young couple as yourself and your young boyfriend.”
Before Carole could correct Gwen and tell her that she and Tom weren’t a couple, the old lady was nabbed by her friends who wanted her to go and look at one of the history museum exhibits with them. Carole bade her farewell, Gwen’s amazing story still spinning inside her head.
I almost missed out on all that happiness because I was too scared to take a chance on a man I’d only just met.
Gwen’s words drilled into Carole’s mind, making her wonder if she was risking the same happiness because she was also too scared to take a chance on a man she’d only just met.
Carole shook her head at the idea. The beautiful love story Gwen had shared had got to her, that’s all. The beautiful love story, the stunning wedding dress, her crazy conscription into the vintage fashion show… all of it had simply sent her off balance.
Right?
She ate her cake and mingled, receiving thanks from the museum volunteers from her help and compliments from the members of the audience who’d enjoyed the fashion show.
Amid all this activity, she kept her eye out for Tom, wondering where he was.
She saw no sign of him in the marquee, and although the place was packed with people and it was possible she just couldn’t see him, it also occurred to her that maybe he’d left already.
Spending an entire Saturday afternoon with the elderly volunteers and supporters of the local history museum probably wasn’t Tom’s idea of a great way to use his free time. He’d done his bit and made his contribution, and perhaps he’d now gone home.
Carole felt a flicker of regret that he must’ve left without her.
But if he had left without her, it was hardly surprising. She was the one who’d sent all those mixed signals last weekend, grabbing him and kissing him… and then pushing him away and saying it had all been a terrible mistake.
Considering her behaviour, it was a wonder he’d agreed to take part in today’s events at all. That he’d gamely agreed to let Olive Nimmo rope him into this madness, and then walk the runway dressed as a groom while Carole walked beside him in full bridal mode, only proved to her that he was a good man.
A sigh of regret made her wish things could’ve been different—and wonder if it was too late tomakethem different.
Carole finished her cake, bade farewell to Olive and the other museum volunteers and left the open day. On her way out, she slipped some money into the donation box and glanced around one last time in the hope that Tom was still there.
But there was no sign of him anywhere.
The sweet and crazy moment they’d shared while dressed as bride and groom lingered in her thoughts as she made her way across the market square.
She was almost at the corner where the lane led towards the high street when she heard someone calling her name.
Turning, she saw Tom, hurrying out of the marquee and across the market square.
Hurrying towardsher.
“Carole, wait!” he called out.
Her heart thumped inside her chest as he drew closer, thrilled that he hadn’t left without her after all.
And her nerves raced as she contemplated the words she’d thought about only a moment ago… and wondering whether she had the courage to actually say them out loud.
